Slice stacker



Slept. 1, 1931. L.. NESTOR 1,821,445

sLIcE STACKERv Filed oct. 2, 192e s sheds-sheet. 1

I v w IWI/IO? a @Zand/0J 'mina Pulsonneg! a L. NESTOR SLICE STACKER ASept. 1,1931.

Filed Oct, 2, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. NESTOR SLICE STACKER Sept. l,1931.

` 5 sham-.s-sneetA s Fild Oort. 2, 192.6

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latented Slept. 1i, 193i Utell 'F'S pf. -F'FICE I EDWARD J. ame, oriainimeronrs, MINNESOTA SLICE STACKER Application filed October 2,

rlhis invention relates to slice receiving apparatus for slicingmachines. Ylt is the general object of the invention to providemechanism whereby slices discharged from a slicing machine may bereceived, either in piled formation one slice upon another or inoverlapped formation, one slice overlapping a preceding slice.` Y

To this end the invention consists in theV novel devices and novelcombinations of devices hereinafter described and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a slicing machinewith one embodiment of the present invention applied thereto, certain ofthe parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a shown in broken away;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1, c-rta'in ofthe parts being broken away; Y

Fig. d is a bottom view of a pawl and ratchet mechanism that may beused;

Figs. 5 and 6 are illustrative views showing two different manners inwhich slices may be piled when the device of theinvention is used;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one type of feed mechanism that may be used;

8 is a vertical section taken on the line S-S of Fig. 7; and

l'fig. 9 is an illustrative view showing'the manner in which slices maybe piled when the type of feed mechanism illustrated inY Figs. 7 and 8is used. i

ln the drawings, a standard slicing machine is illustrated, such as thatdescribed and claimed in the U. S. yPatent No. 1,376,775, issued to A.K. -Luschka and Jv. Folk, 'on May 3rd, 1921. 1n generalit may bestatedthat the said slicing machine includes a base 10, within which the `maindrive 'laft 11 of the machine is journaled. rl'he n iin drive shaft maybe operated by a wheel 12 which in turn may be yoperated either by handor power. A food advancing platform. 13 is used which is adapted'to bereeiprocated back and forth adjacent a cutside elevation of the device1, certain of the parts being 1926. Serial No. 139,09*?.

ting yknife 14, 'and isalso adapted to *ad-A vance intermittentlytowards `the 'knife 14; when the machine `is in operation. A

bracket 15 is secured to ythe `base 10, the

155'" forming upper and lowerV U-shapedtracks bracket beinguadapted'tocarry 'a .frame 16 for the4 slat and chain slice conveyor Conveyor 17 isadaptedto move backan'd forth around the frame 16 in substantially aU-shaped path. vances towards the cutting knife 14 aportion of the meator Vother 'food .tobe sliced. will'be forced against the prongs 18 of'con-v veyor 17,1so that'theprongs will be projected a short. distancervinto the material'to be sliced. Platform i13 fwill. vthen beV movedtransversely ofthe frame :10 towards the cuttlngedge of vtheycuttingknife A111, conf` veyor 17A moving with the platform 'until' theknife le hasjcoinpletely cut off .theslice At ythat time a supplementalforward move` ment will be impartedto the conveyor 17 by the arm k19,jcarryinglthe conveyor around from the `right side of .the frame .16, as

20, as the conveyor moves from the cutting side of the frame to thedischarge side thereof. slice dischargingliyZl mounted on a shaft 22journa'led in bracket 15 is'adapte'd to be so positioned that as `theconveyor` moves tothe discharge .side ofthe frame 16 the slicecarried'by theprongs 18 will be carried over the fly arms, whereupon the[fly 22 will be actuated downwardly by motion imparted thereto, throughcrank 23 actuated by Varml 24e. A pinion 25Y secured tothe main driveshaft llactuates agear 26 carried on a secondary slraft journaled.inframe 28. Shaft 27 extends through vfa slot in arm 24 andact'uateslt`he"arm to moveiiy 21 at'the proper Jtime by meansof cams 29acting' againstcam Arollers V30 secured to the arm 2e. Fly v21 will bemovedunti'llthe sameis approximately iirav'horizon'tal plane, where-`upon the slice vcarriedthereby .will bedischarged 'therefrom in aflatwise 'position permitting the slice to 'fall downwardly subi? Asthe' platform .13 aditc stantially in a vertical plane. The operation ofthe particular type of slicing machine herein illustrated is fullydescribed in the patent above referred to, and accordingly no furtherdescription of the same will be given here. The device of the inventionmay be used with any type of slicing machine adapted to discharge slicesas cut thereby in a downwardly direction. Accordingly, applicant doesnot wish to limit himself to the use of his machine with the particulartype of slicing machine herein illustrated and partially described.

In accordance with the present invention parallel rods 3l and 32 areextended substantia'lly horizontally respectively from the frame l0 ofthe slicing machine and from a lug 33, carried by bracket l5. Rods 3land 32 lie in substantially the same vertical plane and are positionedat the rear side of the machine, as viewed in Fig. 2 of the drawings.Said rods are connected at their outer ends by a vertical brace 34, atapproximately their central portion by rod 35, and slightly inward fromtheir central portion by a guide rod 36. A bar 37 extends transverselyfrom the rod 3l and has secured at its front end a vertical guide rod38.Y The rear end of bar 37 and the rearend of a top bearing block 39between which the guide rod 36 extends, form Vbearings for a hollowvertical shaft 40 through which a rod 4l extends. A horizontal screw 42is journaled in bearings 43 and 44 secured respectively to brace 34 androd 35. The thread of screw 42 terminates short of the outer end of itsshaft as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Screw 42 is adapted to be driven offshaft 40 by means of beveled gear 45, secured to shaft 40 and beveledgear 46, secured to the inner end of screw V42. A spider 47 is provided,which is secured to a carriage 48 fitting over the guide rod 36 andadapted to ride upwardly and downwardly thereon on rollers 49. he spider47 extends from adjacent the discharge end of the slicing machineoutwardly to adja-V cent the brace 34 and has formed thereon at itsupper side the two 'parallel tracks 50, upon which cooperating guides 5lsecured to the bottom of a tray 52 ride.

A vertical screw 53 is formed on or secured to the hollow shaft 40adjacent the 53, and also being of sulheient size so that when the blockis moved to its extreme right hand limit, as viewed in Fig. 3, the blockwill clear the collar 54 when raised or lowered. The toothed block 55 isadapted to be engaged with the vertical screw 53 and to act as a nutthereon. A rod 56 extends transversely through spider 47 and is mountedtherein for sliding movement, the right hand end of the rod, as viewedin Fig. 3, being threaded to a link 57 which in turn is pivotallyconnected to a lever 58 pivoted in a handle 59 formed integrally withthe spider 47. A pressure spring 60 is interposed between the right handside of the blocl'55 and the left hand end of the spider 47, the springbeing coiled about the rod 56 and adapted normally to force the block 55to the left.

A short vertical shaft 6l suitably journaled in the frame 28 is drivenoff the secondary shaft 27 by means of beveled gear 62 secured tosecondary shaft 27 and beveled gear 63, meshing with gear 62 and securedto shaft 6l. A crank arm 64 is secured to the lower end of shaft 6l andis pivotally connected to an actuating rod 65 to reciprocate thesame.Secured to the lower end of red 41 is a shroud 66, while secured to thelower end of shaft 40 below the bar 37 a ratchet 67 is provided. An arm68 is journaled on the shaft 40 between the ratchet 67 and the bar 37.The reciprocating end of actuating rod 65 is secured to a pivot pin 69extending downwardly from the outer end of the arm 68. A pawl 70 mountedfor pivotal movement on pin 69 has an ear against which one end of aspring 7l bears the other end of spring 7l bearing against an ear on thearm 68, the spring being adapted to force the pawl 70 into engagementwith the ratchet 67. Shroud 66 is adapted to be turned so as to vary thelength of movement imparted to the ratchet by the pawl 70, the shroudacting to form a surface over which the pawl 70 will ride out ofengagement with the ratchet teeth. An adjusting lever 72 is secured tothe upper end of the rod 41, and is supported on a bearing plate 73carried on the upper face of the bearing block 39. Lever 72 is providedwith an opening at its end having a ball ratchet 74 therein actuated byspring 75 to engage with teethvformed on the periphery of the bearingplate 73. A small scale plate 76 is secured to the circumferential edgeof plate 73, and has numerals thereon at various points indicating thevarious distances that ratchet 67 will be moved by the pawl 59 duringeach reciprocating movement of rod 65 when the lever 72 and accordinglythe shroud 66 is turned to a given position. Pointer 77 is secured tothe outer edge of lever 72 and is adapted to co-operate with the scale76. Overthrow Sli llo

movement of the' shaft 40 is prevented by means of a spring pressedbearing Y, block 78 held by an adjustable screwl7 9 in arecess formed inthe bar 37, the recess being open to the shaft 40 and the block 78, be-

.'ing held against the shaft 40 by thetension which a pin 81 isjournaled.y A handle 82 is secured to the outer end of the pin 8l,spring 83 being coiled about the pin engaging the handle 82 and one ofthe eye bearings 80 to normally move the pin 81 toward the screw 42. Atoothed block 84 is secured to the pin 81 between the eye bearings 80and is adapted to be engaged with the screw 42 and to act as a nut onthe screw. Handle 82 may be engaged with a spring 85 secured to one ofthe eye bearings 80to hold the toothed block 84 against the action ofspring 83 out of engagement with the screw 42.

Suitable bracing, such as the braces 86 and 87 may be provided extendingbetween the frame 10 of the slicing machine and the rods 31 or 32 andthe bar 37. An aperture will be provided in spider 47 adjacent thehandle 59, through which the guide 38 )vill extend. The guide 38 willprevent swinging movement of the spider about rod 36.

In Figs. 7 and 8 a slightly dierent type of horizontal screw andtoothedblock are used. In place of the screw 42 a reversing screw 88 oithe double acting ratchet type is provided; in place of the toothedblock 84 an arm 89 is provided secured to the pin 8l, the arm 89 havinga cylindrical bore at its outer end withinwhich a cylindrical tooth 90is adapted to be received. 'The tooth 9() is substantially chisel-shapedat its engaging end and has a flange 91 at its upper end adapted to seatwithin a recess r termed at the upper end of the bore in the arm 89.Spring 92 secured to the top'oif the outer* end of arm 859 is adapted toresiliently hold the tooth 9() in screw engaging position. A pair ofcams 93 are secured to the ends of the shaft of sc rew 88 and areadapted to turn the tooth 90 "for reverse travel after the tooth whichin operative position is adapted to engage with the double acting screw88, reaches lthe `end ofA its movement in a given direction.

Operation By use of the present device lslices received from' theslicing machine may be piled in either stacked arrangement, one sliceupon another, or piled in overlapped arrangement, one slice overlappinganother. Considering the parts of the device to' be arranged, as shownin Figs. 1, 2 and 3. If, for example, it is desired to stack the slicescut from ham or similar food product,

slicel uponuanothenhandle 82 is moved to throwthe toothed block 84 outof engagement with the screw 42, whereupon the han- .dle 82 will becaught by the spring 85 to hold the toothed block 84 out of engagement.

vThe operator then grasps the lever 58 with one portion of his hand, theotherportion of j his hand resting upon the handle 59. By' moving thelever 58 towards the handle 59, toothed block 55 will be released fromthe position shown in Fig. 3, thereby permitting the spider 47, tray'52and carriage 48 lto slide downwardly upon the guide'rod 36;

.lVhen the said parts have beendownwardly slid to a position where thetoothed block 55 extends even with the top portion of the vertical screw53, lever 58 is released thereby permitting the block 55 to engage withscrew 53. The slicing machine is now put in operation. As a slice isreceived by the iy 21 it will be discharged downwardly on the tray 52.By properly setting the shroud G6 by movement of the lever 77,movementot' screw 53 may be varied so that immediately after a givenslicey is discharged upon the tray 52 screw 53 will be turned asutlicient distance so that the spider 47, carriage 48 and tray 52 willbe moved downwardly a distance vequal to the width of the slice cut.Accordingly, as a second slice is discharged by the fly 21, the saidsecond slice will fall immediately upon the rst slice discharged and asthe machine is successively operated, a pile of slices will be formed onthe tray, one slice directly on top of another. Ther screw 53 isterminated short of bar 37 so that the toothed block 55 will run off thescrew to prevent jamming of the parts of the device after an extremedownward position of the spider and tray has been reached. If, after agivenv pile has been made it is desired to form other piles on the tray52, 4

the tray may be slid outwardly from the dis-V charge end of the slicingmachine on tracks 50, whereupon other piles may be formed,

as shown in Fig. 6, the slices being indicated by the letter A.

If it .is desired to pile slices cut by the `'machine one upon anotherin overlapped formation, `lever 58 is again grasped and the spider 47,tray 52 and carriage 48 are raised Vto a position where the toothedblock 55 will extend above the level of the collary i 54, whereupon thelever 58 may be released. f

Block 55 will then rest upon the top surface of the collar 54 and thelowering screw will tra-y 52.` vAfter a first slice is discharged uponthe tray, shaft 40 will be turned as before, thereby transmitting a stepof `Inovemeiit through beveled gears and 46 to the horizontal screw 42.Accordingly, the toothed block 84 being in engagement with the screw 42,the'tray 52 will be slid outwardly from'the discharge side of themachine on the tracks one step. As a second'slice is discharged upon thetray, a portion thereof will overlap the first slice. The slices, Aaccordingly, will be received on the tray in the manner illustrated inFig. 5, a sheet of paper being indicated by the letter B. After thetoothed block 84 has run off the outer end of the thread of thehorizontal screw, whereupon further outer 'movement vill be prevented,handle 82 may be grasped and the block moved out of Iengagement with thescrew, whereupon the tray may be pushed inwardly to its enti-enit:linner position. The length of movement or the horizontal screw, ofcourse, may be varied by changing the position of the'lever 72,controlling the shroud G5. Accordingly, the slices as received on thetray may be overlapped varying amounts as desireth lVhen the mechanismillust ed in Figs. 7 and 8 is used', to feed the-tray, reversing actionof the tray will vtake place. After the tooth 90 has'been moved to sucha position'that it strikes one ofthe canisQ-, the tooth will be turnedso that the movement of the tooth will be reversed thereby causing thetooth to` be moved in an opposite direction. Accordingly, slices A willbe 'piled upon the tray in the manner illustrated in Fig. 9, due to theintermittent movement of the screw and to the reversing mechanism.Sheets of paper B may be interposed between successive layers ifdesired.

lt will be understood Athat'the movable parts of the device will'be vsosynchronized 'with the action of the slicing machine that the tray 52will be moved one step either downwardly or laterally immediately aftera slice has been discharged on to the tray from the iy 21 whereupon thetray will remain stationary until after a further slice 'has beendischarged. f

It will, of course, be understood, that various changes may be made inthe form, details, proportions and arrangement of parts withoutdeparting V.from the scope of the invention. I

That is claimed is :l

l. In combination a 'slicing machine, a tray upon which the slices areadapted to be discharged therefrom, a substantially horizontallydisposed screw adapted to be intermittently turned and a toothed blocksecured to said tray and adapted to be reinittently move said tray insubstantially a horizontal plane whereby slices may be dismalais posedon said tray in such relation that each slice overlaps its adjacentslice.

2. In combination a slicing machine, means for receiving the individualslices as cut by saidlmachine and depositing the same, a spider having atrack secured thereto, a tray movable on said track and upon which theslices are adapted to be deposited, and means for moving said tray alongsaid track intermittent-ly in a direction away from the discharge end ofsaid machine and for automatically reversing the movement of the tray;l

3.y The structure defined in claim 2, and means for synchronizing themovement of said tray with said slice receiving and depositing means sothat said tray will be moved shortly after a slice has been depoistedthereon.

4. In combination a slicing machine, means for receiving the ,individualslices as cut by said machine and depositing the same, a spider having asubstantially horizontal track secured thereto, a tray movable upon saidtrack laterally to a desired horizontal position, and means for loweringsaid spider and tray intermittently after a sliceis deposited thereon,whereupon after a pile of slices has been formed said tray may be movedon said track and additional piles made. Y

5. ln combina-tion, a slicing machine, a spider at the discharge sidethereof, a substantially horizontal track carried by said spider, a trayadapted to ride on said track, said tray being adapted to receive theslices as cnt by said slicing machine, and a feed screw for sliding saidtray along said track torcause the slices to be piled on said tray inoverlapped relation.

In combination, Va slicing machine, a spider at the discharge sidethereof, a substantially horizontal track carried by said spider, a trayadapted to ride on said track, said tray being adapted to receive theslices as cut by said slicing machine, a substantially horizontallydisposed feed screw adapted to be intermittently turned, and a. toothedblock secured to said tray and adapted to be removably engaged withsaidscrew to vintermittently move said tray along ,said

track in a horizontal plane, whereby slices may be discharged on saidtray in such relation that each slice overlaps its adjacent slice. y. Y

7. In a slicing machine, a slicing knife, a source of power, a drivingconnection between said source of power and said slicing knife, asupport mounted for vertical movement, a tray adapted to receive fromsaid slicing knife and mounted on said support for horizontal movement,a vertical driving element, a horizontal driving element, means foroperating one. of said driving elements from said source of power, meansfor operating the other of said driving elements from the eieinentoperated from saidsource of power, means for releasably connecting saidsupport to said vertical driving element to impart vertical movement tosaid support, means for holding said support in a l'iXed horizontalplane when said connecting means is not engaged with said verticaldriving element, and means for releasably connecting said tray to saidhorizontal driving element to impart horizontal movement to said traywhen said support is so held.

S. In a slicing machine, a support mount ed for vertical travel, a slicereceiving tray mounted on said support for horizontal travel, drivingelement for said supp .'t, a driving element for said tray, a commonactuating mechanism for said driving elements, a connecting memberadapted to be releasably engaged with said first mentioned drivingelement to move said support vertically, retaining means with which saidconnecting member may be engaged when not engaged with said iirstmentioned drivy ing element to retain said support in a iixed Y slicesin both superimposed relation and in overlapped relation, a slicingknife, a support mounted for vertical movement, a tray mounted on saidsupport for horizontal movement and adapted to receive cut slices, avertical screw, means for imparting Inotion thereto, a horizontal screwdriven from said vertical screw, a collar on said vertical screw, atoothed block carried by said support, and adapted to be lowered belowsaid collar to engage said vertical screw to impart vertical movement tosaid support, and adapted to be carried above said collar to rest on thesame and retain said support in a iixed horizontal plane, and a toothedblock carried by said tray and adapted to be engaged with saidhorizontal screw when said first mentioned block rests on said collar tocause horizontal movement to be imparted to said tray.

10. In a slicing machine capable of piling slices in both superimposedrelation and in overlapped relation, a slicing knife, a support mountedfor vertical movement, a tray mounted on said support for horizontalmovement, a vertical screw, means for imparting intermittent rotativemovement to said vertical screw, a horizontal screw driven from saidvertical screw, a connecting member carried by said support, and adaptedto be releasably engaged with said vertical screw to cause said supportto be vertically moved, means for retaining 'said support at a fixedhorizontal level with said connecting member out of engagement with saidvertical screw, and a connecting member carried by said tray and adaptedto be engaged with said horizontal screw when said support is held at aiiXed horizontal level vby said retaining means to impart horizontalmovement to said tray.

l1. The structure defined in claim 10, and means for varying the extentof rotation of said Vertical and horizontal screws during theintermittent movements thereof.

l2. In combination, a slicing machine, a tray for receiving individualslices as cut said machine, a track upon which said l rides, meansacting in synchronism with said machine for moving said tray along saidtrack by intermittent steps in the direction away from the discharge endof the said machine, and means for adjusting said i'lrst mentioned meansto vary the distance said tray will ride in each step in its movement.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.

LEONARD NESTOR;

